Queries: What agents want

I was helping a writer with her query yesterday (This week I'm co-hosting a query workshop with Brenda Drake, Becca Coffindaffer, and Marieke Nijkamp. Check it out!) and she commented on how it seems agents all want different things out of a query.

Well... yes... and no.

Some things that agents differ on include:

• Whether to include an intro before your pitch
• Put things like title, word count, age, genre at the end or beginning
• How much biographical info to include
• Whether or not an MFA matters
• Whether or not to include comp titles and how popular the books you use should be if you do
• Whether or not to include "I'm querying you because..." info and what kind of info that should be
• Start with a logline or no?
• What exactly "personalize your query" means
• Should you mention your blog/social media presence if it's not rockstar status?
• Don't be gimmicky - unless it's an original gimmick that works
• Voice? How much?
• Should you describe your target audience? Or does that limit it too much, especially if the agent disagrees?
• Series?
• I'm sure you can think of many more.

But here are the things all agents agree on:

• Write a pitch that is intelligible, not mass-emailed, and makes them want to read the book.
• Don't be crazy.

If you do those two things very very well, guess what? The rest of it doesn't matter. At all.

If your query demonstrates great writing and a great story, you can break every other preference an agent has. (Don't confuse preferences like those list above with guidelines like whether or not to include attachments, pages, synopsis. Always obey those.)

I love writing, reading, and critiquing queries and a lot of people are shocked when I say that, but I think a lot of writers psych themselves out because they're worrying so much about that first list. Focus on the second list, and you're golden.


But if you are worried about that first list still? Here's what I've come up with for playing it safe (not perfect) on each topic so you don't offend anyone outright:

• Intro before pitch or not: Save it for the end. Why? They don't care about anything else until they care about the book. Unless you're a Kardashian, of course.
• Put things like title, word count, age, genre at the end or beginning End. Most prefer the end, so it's a numbers game.
• biographical info Include only hard facts that make it obvious you are serious about your career - MFAs, SCBWI/RWA memberships, good publishing experience. This does not include submission history, how many novels you've written, how long you've written, what your mom/husband/brother/neighbor/CPs think about your work.
• Whether or not an MFA matters see above
  
• Comp titles Unless the agent specifically wants them, leave them out. There is so much that can go wrong with them.
  
• "I'm querying you because..." info Do not include info that's like "I'm querying you because you like Urban Fantasies" - they know what they want, you don't have to tell them. Do include things like "I'm querying you with this because you said on twitter you wanted a novel with a three-legged dog that wears purple sun-glasses - and this is it!" This shows you're really paying attention.
• Start with a logline or no? No, unless specifically requested. And I only say no because so many of them lead to a clunky transition to the pitch.
• What exactly "personalize your query" means Email only sent to them. Dear [agent name] (don't assume gender if you don't know for sure). If you've met them in person before, mention that (unless you were creepy). If you actually do read their blog, you may mention it if you want - but ONLY if it's true and you can mention something specific you like.
• Should you mention your blog/social media presence if it's not rockstar status? Not in the body of the query, but include links in your signature. That way, it's there if they want it, but it's not obtrusive.
• Don't be gimmicky - unless it's an original gimmick that works Don't be gimmicky. Everybody thinks their gimmick is clever, less than 1% of them are. Those aren't good odds.
• Voice? How much? light. If you write YA, do not use a phrase that a teen wouldn't use. Use adjectives/adverbs and verbs that your MC would use. Avoid cliches. Always write in 3rd person present, no matter what your book is.
• Should you describe your target audience? Or does that limit it too much, especially if the agent disagrees? Don't. There's so much that can go wrong.
• Series Don't mention it.

Don't obsess over the small things! A great query has to do one thing: make the agent want to read your book. Period. End of paragraph. End of story.